Planning board approves CVS on S. Main St. and 2 projects on US 176

By Mark SchulmanTimes-News Staff Writer

Published: Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 6:32 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 6:32 p.m.

The Hendersonville Planning Board approved preliminary site plans Tuesday for a new pharmacy that will allow vehicles to make a left turn in and out of the parking lot on South Main Street. The plan does not call for an additional turn lane.

The board also approved the construction of a new Boyd Automotive car dealership and renovations for an automobile body shop on U.S. Highway 176.

CVS Pharmacy

Site plans for the CVS Pharmacy shows its location at the east side of South Main Street between U.S. 176 and South King Street. This area has one of the heaviest traffic volumes in the city, according to a traffic impact analysis.

NCDOT reported 22,000 vehicles travel per day on U.S. Highway 25 (South Main Street), 23,000 vehicles on U.S. 176 (Spartanburg Highway) and 12,000 vehicles on N.C. Highway 225 (Greenville Highway).

A traffic study indicates there are sufficient gaps in traffic to accommodate vehicles making left turns in and out of the pharmacy, the DOT reported.

CVS estimates 1,053 vehicles will visit the store during a typical weekday. The traffic impact analysis conducted by Ramey Kemp & Associates indicates southbound traffic at the intersection of U.S. 25 and U.S. 176 is not anticipated to back up past the CVS turn lane during afternoon peak hours but could “extend back past the access on occasions.” The report also indicates traffic on Church Street may “extend back past the S. Main Street connection on occasions during mid-day and PM peak hours.”

The report notes that NCDOT or the city could require modifications at any time if safety becomes an issue.

The 11,945-square-foot CVS Pharmacy would replace the current store next to the Ingles on U.S. 176. Four buildings, including the vacant Mr. Gatti's pizza restaurant and an automobile shop, now occupy the site for the new drugstore. Those structures will be demolished. The four driveways belonging to those properties will also be eliminated, and the new CVS will contain two driveways.

A city report notes that the site is in an area prone to flooding. The site plan shows the removal of more than 6,000 square feet of impervious surfaces, such as asphalt, to improve the floodplain. The redevelopment is not expected to make flooding problems worse, increase stormwater runoff or degrade water quality.

Boyd GM dealership

The planning board also approved an application to construct a 25,340-square-foot Boyd GM dealership at the corner of U.S. Highway 176 and Spartan Heights. The dealership will sit on a 5.25 acre lot. The plan calls for the removal of a gas station, car wash, strip center and mobile home park on the site.

A portion of the site is going through the process of being annexed into the city limits. There will be a public hearing on the issue at the Jan. 3 City Council meeting.

Boyd Body Shop

The Planning Board also approved L.C. Boyd Jr.'s application to renovate a 23,229-square-foot building at 1380 Spartanburg Highway for an automotive body shop. The Boyd Body Shop will employ 10 people on a single shift. The building sits on about 1.3 acres and will have 50 parking spaces.

Final site plans are subject to approval by city staff. Within 15 days of the date of the planning board's approval of these applications, anyone affected by the plan can file a notice with the city clerk requesting that City Council review the decision. The City Council takes final action on any of the applications.

<p>The Hendersonville Planning Board approved preliminary site plans Tuesday for a new pharmacy that will allow vehicles to make a left turn in and out of the parking lot on South Main Street. The plan does not call for an additional turn lane.</p><p>The board also approved the construction of a new Boyd Automotive car dealership and renovations for an automobile body shop on U.S. Highway 176.</p><p>CVS Pharmacy</p><p>Site plans for the CVS Pharmacy shows its location at the east side of South Main Street between U.S. 176 and South King Street. This area has one of the heaviest traffic volumes in the city, according to a traffic impact analysis.</p><p>NCDOT reported 22,000 vehicles travel per day on U.S. Highway 25 (South Main Street), 23,000 vehicles on U.S. 176 (Spartanburg Highway) and 12,000 vehicles on N.C. Highway 225 (Greenville Highway).</p><p>A traffic study indicates there are sufficient gaps in traffic to accommodate vehicles making left turns in and out of the pharmacy, the DOT reported.</p><p>CVS estimates 1,053 vehicles will visit the store during a typical weekday. The traffic impact analysis conducted by Ramey Kemp & Associates indicates southbound traffic at the intersection of U.S. 25 and U.S. 176 is not anticipated to back up past the CVS turn lane during afternoon peak hours but could “extend back past the access on occasions.” The report also indicates traffic on Church Street may “extend back past the S. Main Street connection on occasions during mid-day and PM peak hours.”</p><p>The report notes that NCDOT or the city could require modifications at any time if safety becomes an issue.</p><p>The 11,945-square-foot CVS Pharmacy would replace the current store next to the Ingles on U.S. 176. Four buildings, including the vacant Mr. Gatti's pizza restaurant and an automobile shop, now occupy the site for the new drugstore. Those structures will be demolished. The four driveways belonging to those properties will also be eliminated, and the new CVS will contain two driveways.</p><p>A city report notes that the site is in an area prone to flooding. The site plan shows the removal of more than 6,000 square feet of impervious surfaces, such as asphalt, to improve the floodplain. The redevelopment is not expected to make flooding problems worse, increase stormwater runoff or degrade water quality.</p><p>Boyd GM dealership</p><p>The planning board also approved an application to construct a 25,340-square-foot Boyd GM dealership at the corner of U.S. Highway 176 and Spartan Heights. The dealership will sit on a 5.25 acre lot. The plan calls for the removal of a gas station, car wash, strip center and mobile home park on the site.</p><p>A portion of the site is going through the process of being annexed into the city limits. There will be a public hearing on the issue at the Jan. 3 City Council meeting.</p><p>Boyd Body Shop</p><p>The Planning Board also approved L.C. Boyd Jr.'s application to renovate a 23,229-square-foot building at 1380 Spartanburg Highway for an automotive body shop. The Boyd Body Shop will employ 10 people on a single shift. The building sits on about 1.3 acres and will have 50 parking spaces.</p><p>Final site plans are subject to approval by city staff. Within 15 days of the date of the planning board's approval of these applications, anyone affected by the plan can file a notice with the city clerk requesting that City Council review the decision. The City Council takes final action on any of the applications.</p>